DAY 1 Highlights - SAP 505 World Championship, San Francisco 2009

San Francisco, St. Francis Yacht Club, 16-30 August 2009.
This year the 505's was holding their World Championship regatta on San Francisco Bay. Everyone came expecting big breeze and that's exactly what they've found sailing on the Berkeley Circle in this warm up to the 2009 SAP 505 World Championship. Its clear that there's a lot of talent in this class and its going to take every bit of their skill to get the job done and hold up the trophy as World Champion for 2009.
[23 Aug 2009] - HOLT / SMIT LEAD AFTER WILD & WINDY DAY ON THE BAY
by Rich Roberts
Round One to Mike Holt in the 2009 SAP 505 World Championship Sunday which saw 98 boats slugging it not only among themselves but against the rough and tumble elements of San Francisco Bay, hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club.
With chill winds building to 25 knots blowing in through the fogshrouded Golden Gate Bridge, Holt and crew Carl Smit scored 1-2 finishes, while only 45 of the 88 entries were scored as even starting the second race. Countless boats capsized---including favorite Mike Martin twice. Some broke down, others dropped out and limped to refuge on Treasure Island on the south of the bay or Angel Island to the north. By unofficial count 14 had to be towed back six miles upwind to the Crissy Field staging area because they were in no condition to sail.
It would be a long night in the boat yard repairing boats to continue the fight Monday with a single race starting at 2 p.m., with some competitors perhaps down for the count.
Top contenders at the moment are three-time world champion Chris Nicholson of Australia and crew Casey Smith (4-3) in second place, followed by two American teams sharing third:
Nick Adamson and crew Steve Bourdow (9-2) and 1999 champion Howard Hamlin and crew Ian Mitchell of Great Britain (5-6).
Mitchell was scheduled to turn over his seat Monday to the Bay Area's own Paul Cayard, just returned from Audi MedCup competition in Portugal where he called tactics that carried Artemis into first place near the windup of the regatta.
Dennis Surtees, a local sailing veteran who had Cayard as crew when they finished second in the 505 Worlds at Durban.
South Africa 30 years ago, this time is driving a press photo boat on the course. He was hurting for the competitors Sunday.
"Oh, I feel so sorry for these guys," Surtees said in all sincerity while following the carnage. "I've been in so many races like these that I know what they're going through."
A total of nine races are scheduled through Saturday, with one throw-out allowed after four races and two after eight races.
Martin and Nelson already have one to toss, so their pain may only be temporary.
www.mksebbe.synology.me/mks505...

[@test868]

I believe the gate start was invented in 1955 by the Firefly class (the boat the legendary Paul Elvestrom won his first Olympic gold in). I think originally they had a boat specifically at the event to be the pathfinder (or rabbit as the US seem to describe the role) with different coloured sails - the pathfinder didn’t do the race. The Firefly class used them because they had so many boats in the race (>200 boats), it’s interesting that the 505’s continue with gate starts. The 505 is a lovely boat, would be nice to see a resurgence of them here in the UK.

[@brucesegerdahl7892]

Tough race good job guys

[@markcampbell7577]

A good day to sail. ! If they were Keeled mast and headsails they would be faster and more easy to sail in weather.

[@guymonty96]

Poor editing, as usual with sailing videos. Obviously not done by a sailor, sadly.